Egg-crate.



N. P. B. ELLEGAARD.

EGG CRATE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1916 Patented Oct. 10,1916.

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N. P. B. ELLEGAARD.

EGG CRATE.

APPLICATION HLED 1An.27. 1916 1,200,716. Patented Oct. 10,1916. 2SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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NIELS I. B. ELLEGAARD, OF PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA.

EGG-CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

Application filed January 27, 1916. Serial No. 74,640.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NIELS P. B. ELLEGAARD, acitizen of Denmark, residing at Petaluma, in the county of Sonoma andState of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Egg-Crates; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in crates which are primarilyintended for shipping eggs, and has for its principal object to providea simply constructed device of this character which can be veryinexpensively manufactured, yet one which will be very efficient.

Another object of the invention is to provide a crate having anextremely simple and improved means for holding the cover in placewithout the use of nails, hasps, or other similar locking means.

WVith' the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in thenovel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement ofparts which will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimedand shown in the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 represents a top plan view of my improved crate; Fig. 2 is aside elevation thereof; Figs. 3 and 4c are central vertical longitudinalsections showing several steps in removing the cover or closure from thecrate; Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;Fig. 6 is a detail vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;Fig. 7 is a perspective View ofthe closure removed; and Fig. 8 is asimilar View of the movable end of the leaf spring latch.

In the accompanying illustrations, I have shown my improved crate ascomprising a body or other articles to be shipped are disposed andsuitably packed. This receptacle may be of any preferred size or shape,but preferably of a size similar to the ordinary egg crate in which thecard board partitions for the eggs areused.

The receptacle 1is provided with a suitable closure 2 which has its endsdisposed under the inverted U-shaped members 3 at the opposite ends ofsaid receptacle. Each of the members 3 is formed from a single piece ofstrap metal bent into Ushape, and secured by its arms 4: to the oppositesides 5 of the body by nails 6 or other fastening receptacle 1 in whichthe eggs or members. As shown, each member 3 is disposed directly overthe ends 7 of the body 1, and spaced thereabove a distance slightlygreater than the thickness of the closure in order that the ends thereofmay freely slide between the tops 3 of the members 3 and the upper edgesof the ends 7 The tops 3 of the members are preferably supported intheir middle by the spacing blocks 8 which rest on the upper edges ofthe ends 7.

Each end of the closure 2 is slotted as shown at 9 to receive saidspacing blocks 8. This closure is substantially the length of the box orbody 1 and in placing the same in position thereon, one end thereof isinserted beneath one of the members 3 and slid in the same directionuntil the opposite'end clears the other member 3 when said closure ismoved in the reverse direction until the last mentioned end is flushwith the corresponding end 7 of the receptacle.

In order to limit the movement of the closure in one direction, a cleat10 is secured thereto transversely thereof at a point spaced from oneend substantially a distance equal to the width of one of the members 3.In order to limit the movement in the reverse direction, I provide aleaf spring latch 11 secured by one end thereto, its opposite end beingprovided with a depending stop 12 which, when the cover or closure is inposition on the receptacle 1, will contact with the inner edge of thetop 3 of one of the members 3. This stop is disposed at the opposite endof the closure from the cleat 10 and coacts therewith to securely holdthe closure in operative position. This stop 12 is preferably formed bydepressing the spring 11 adj acent its free end, said free end beingalso provided with a handle formed by bending the extreme outer portionthereof upon the intermediate portion as shown at 13 in the drawing.

An additional cleat 1st is secured to the closure transversely thereofadjacent the free end of the latch 11, and overlies the same. This cleat14 is grooved on its lower side as shown at 15 to receive said spring11, and in this groove is also disposed an expansion helical spring 16which bears against said spring 11 and the top of its seat in the groovein order that said leaf spring will be held in engagement with theclosure, and therefore in engagement with one of the members 3.

In placing the cover or closure in position, one end is slid beneath thetop of one of the members 3, the free end of the spring 11 sliding oversaid member, and said closure is moved in this direction a sufficientextent to allow the opposite end to clear the other member 3. When theclosure has been disposed in this position, it is moved in the reversedirection until the cleat contacts with one of the members 3, when thestop 12 will spring into engagement with the edge of the other member.In order to remove the closure, the free end of the spring 11 is raisedin order to release the stop 12,

and the movements as above described are reversed as shown in Figs. 3and 4:.

From the preceding description, it is obvious that I have invented acrate having a very simple means for attaching its cover thereto andsecurely holding the same thereon. It is also evident that such a crateas this can be manufactured very cheaply, yet at the same time withsufficient strength to withstand a great deal of rough usage and willlast a considerable length of time, the locking means for the coverbeing practically indestructible.

In the foregoing I have described certain details of construction forproducing probably the best results, and in the drawings I have shownsuch details, but it will be evident that I need not be limited theretootherwise than to the extent to which the appended claims limit me.

I claim as my invention 1. In a device of the class described comprisinga receptacle, an inverted U-shaped member at each end thereof, the topsof said members being spaced above said ends, a closure disposed undersaid members, a cleat carried by said closure and spaced from the endsthereof, said cleat abutting one of said members to limit the movementof the closure in one direction, a latch carried by the closure andhaving one end abutting the other member to prevent movement of saidclosure in the reverse direction, an additional cleat overlying saidlatch and having a groove therein to receive the same, and an expansionspring interposed between the top of said groove and said latch.

2. In a device of the class described comprising a receptacle, aninverted U-shaped member at each end thereof, the tops of said membersbeing spaced above said ends, a closure disposed under said members, acleat carried by said closure and spaced from the ends thereof, saidcleat abutting one of said members to limit the movement of the closurein one direction, and a leaf spring secured at one end to the closure,its other end being bent upon itself to form a handle, said springadjacent its free end being depressed to form a stop to contact with theother member to prevent movement of said closure in the reversedirection.

8. In a device of the class described, a receptacle, a pair of invertedU-shaped members each formed from a single metal strap and secured bythe arms thereof to the sides of the receptacle, one being adjacent eachend thereof, the tops of the members being disposed over and spacedabove the ends thereof, a closure disposed under said members, a cleatcarried by said closure and spaced from the ends thereof, said cleatabutting one of said members to limit the movement of the closure in onedirection, a leaf spring secured by one end to the closure, its otherend being bent upon itself to form a handle, said spring adjacent itsfree end being depressed to form a stop to contact with the other memberto prevent movement of said closure in the reverse direction, anadditional cleat overlying said spring and having a groove therein toreceive the same, and an expansion spring interposed between the top ofsaid groove and said leaf spring.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

NIELS P. B. ELLEGAARD.

Witnesses:

J. B. BLOOM, H. H. TEMASINI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0.

